Sunday, May 01, 2016

Mehaffey shows her class to retain Welsh

title by five strokes By COLIN FARQUHARSON Olivia Mehaffey (Royal Co Down Ladies) showed her World No 9 Class by winning the Welsh women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Conwy Golf Club by five strokes.The Curtis Cup selection had rounds of 79, 68 and 73 for a one-over-par total of 220 in testing, wintry conditions.It was her brilliant, five under par second round of 68 that put her clear of the field. She had five birdies in that bogey-free round. On the final day, the 18-year-old had four birdies and four bogeys.Runner-up pn 225 was Queens University, Belfast student Jessica Ross with scores of 80, 73 and 72. Jessica had a triple bogey 8 and an eagle in her second round 73 and started her final round with a double bogey 6.Ross fought back with four birdies and one bogey for the best final round.Third place went to former Scottish U18 girls champion Fiona Liddell, who now plays out of Germany, where, the daughter of a Scottish club pro over there, she was born. Her mother is German and Fiona is a fluent German speaker.Liddell had scores of 81, 72 and 74 for 277. In her final round she had a double bogey 7 at the 14th but compensated with four birdies, including the 15th and 16th.Former Scottish women's amateur champion Gabrielle Macdonald (Craigielaw) tied for seventh place on 231 with rounds of 80, 77 and 74. She had an eventful final round which included a double bogey 6 at the first and a double bogey 5 at the short sixth. But she rallied to post five birdies for a one-over-par final round.Hannah McCook (Grantown on Spey) finished tied 29th on 241 with scores of 84, 79 and 78.LEADING FINAL TOTALSPar 219 (3x73)220 O Mehaffey (Royal Co Down) 79 68 73225 J Ross (Queen's Univ) 80 73 72227 F Liddell (Schloss Vornholz) 81 72 74228 L Bailey (Kirby Muxloe) 78 74 76230 G Clews (Delamere Forest) 77 78 75, R Meekers (Ned) 79 75 76231G Macdonald (Craigielaw) 80 77 74, R Haarman (Ned) 82 76 73232 M Dunne (Skerries) 86 72 74SELECTED SCORE241H McCook (Grantown on Spey) 84 79 78 (T29)